Nara Lokesh Defends Visakhapatnam Data Centres Over Water Concerns

Andhra Pradesh IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh defended the state's plan to develop a data-centre ecosystem in Visakhapatnam during an Assembly session on August 19, 2026. Lokesh addressed concerns raised by environmental groups and Jana Sena MLA Lokam Naga Madhavi, who cited resource pressures in Dublin and the Netherlands as warnings for the region.

Lokesh claimed that "deliberate misinformation" had been spread regarding the environmental and water requirements of these facilities. He clarified that the data centres, which will require approximately 3 TMC of water annually, will not compromise the urban drinking water network. Instead, the government will utilize industrial allocations from the Polavaram Project via dedicated pipelines.

The minister noted that Google's investment in a USD 15 billion AI data centre campus and digital hub has attracted further interest from other global technology firms. He emphasized that the government will prioritize companies with strong environmental responsibility. To manage growth, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has established a capacity ceiling of 6.5 GW for data-centre allocations, a limit Lokesh stated has already been reached.